Children's home run by Mangrove Care Limited in Newcastle-under-Lyme

Inspection report children‟s home: SC068261 1 SC068261 Registered provider: Mangrove Care Limited Full inspection Inspected under the social care common inspection framework

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Information about this children’s home

The home provides care and accommodation for up to four young people aged between 10 and 17 years on admission. The home is privately owned and managed.

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Overall experiences and progress of

children and young people, taking into account

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good

How well children and young people are helped and protected good

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good

The effectiveness of leaders and managers good

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good

The children‟s home provides effective services that meet the requirements for good.

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good

Overall judgement at last inspection: sustained effectiveness Inspection report children‟s home: SC068261 2 Enforcement action since last inspection: None

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Key findings from this inspection

 Managers ensure that risk assessments help to minimise the risk of harm to young people.  Staff work closely with schools to help improve young people‟s attendance.  The manager provides staff with ongoing support, supervision and training that reflect young people‟s needs.  Young people are encouraged to have their say in the running of the home.  Staff work collaboratively with other professionals to ensure that young people receive the best support and guidance.  Staff promote contact for young people so that they can sustain close relationships with family.

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Key findings from this inspection

The children‟s home‟s areas for development:

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Key findings from this inspection

 The manager has not ensured that the independent visitor‟s monthly report scrutinises and evaluates shortfalls to help support service development.  Damage to young people‟s bedrooms has not been repaired.

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Inspection date Inspection type Inspection judgement

07/03/2017 Interim Sustained effectiveness 15/11/2016 Full Good 10/02/2016 Interim Sustained effectiveness 21/07/2015 Full Good Inspection report children‟s home: SC068261 3

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Statutory requirements

This section sets out the actions that the registered person(s) must take to meet the Care Standards Act 2000, Children‟s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the „Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟. The registered person(s) must comply within the given timescales.

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Requirement Due date

The quality and purpose of care standard is that children receive care from staff who ensure that the premises used for the purposes of the home are designed and furnished so as to meet the needs of each child. (Regulation 6(2)(c)) 20/11/2017

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Requirement Due date

The independent person must produce a report about a visit (“the independent person‟s report”) which sets out, in particular, the independent person‟s opinion as to whether children are effectively safeguarded; and the conduct of the home promotes children‟s well-being. (Regulation 44(4)(a)(b)) 20/11/2017

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people receive a good quality of care from a committed staff team. Staff work in partnership with young people to improve their self-confidence and to give them the opportunity to develop their potential as individuals. The relationships between staff and young people are good. One young person told the inspector, „Everyone here is nice and good to get on with.‟ This helps to create an environment where young people can discuss any issues or concerns with staff in confidence.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Placement plans are clear and set out what staff must do to meet the needs of young people effectively. This makes sure that young people receive consistent care, and know what their objectives are and how they will be met.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people have access to health services that promote their physical and emotional well-being. Young people are encouraged and supported to attend routine appointments with dentists and doctors. Young people‟s medication is stored and administered safely by trained and competent staff.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people attend a variety of educational settings, depending on their needs and abilities. Staff use every opportunity to help young people engage in education. This supportive approach enables young people to build their knowledge and skills. It also helps them to develop the values and skills that they need to stay engaged in their Inspection report children‟s home: SC068261 4 education.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

The manager works closely with placing authorities to promote contact with family and friends that is positive and safe. This ensures that young people continue to build relationships and attachments with those who are significant to them.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people are involved in day-to-day decisions in the home. They contribute their views through weekly house meetings, key-work meetings and regular communication with staff. This helps to make sure that young people have ownership of decisions that are made in the home. Young people confirm that they know how to make a complaint if they are unhappy or have any concerns about their care.

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Overall experiences and progress of children and young people: good

Young people make good progress in developing independence skills, which are appropriate to their age and understanding. Young people have support to learn how to undertake basic tasks, such as independent travel, self-care, laundry and cooking skills. This helps young people to develop practical skills, and enables them to complete daily tasks safely and independently.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff have a good understanding of young people‟s needs and particular vulnerabilities. Staff use this knowledge to help to keep young people safe.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The manager makes sure that there is a comprehensive risk assessment in place for each young person. The staff safeguard young people by using these assessments to help them to identify risks and vulnerabilities, and by having strategies that minimise these risks.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Behaviour management plans provide staff with safe ways of managing young people‟s challenging behaviour. Staff make good use of positive relationships and de-escalation techniques to manage conflict and confrontation. Staff promote the use of restorative techniques to promote good behaviour. Young people are encouraged to repair any damage they may have caused. This means that young people are able to see a direct link between their behaviour and the restorative technique used.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The manager makes sure that staff comply with locally agreed protocols for young people who go missing from care. When young people go missing, staff liaise with the police and complete records of the action taken and the appropriate individuals contacted. Young people have access to an independent person to speak to on their return home. This helps to consider any information that may help to prevent them from going missing again.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

Staff complete regular health and safety checks and follow a range of safety procedures to protect young people from potential hazards. These include fire drills to make sure that young people know what to do in the case of an emergency. However, some unrepaired damage to the home requires attention. This includes window handles in a young person‟s bedroom. This failure to swiftly address repairs means that young people Inspection report children‟s home: SC068261 5 are not encouraged to be proud of their home.

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How well children and young people are helped and protected: good

The staff recruitment and selection process is thorough. No appointment is confirmed until all checks are completed. These measures positively promote the safety of the young people by preventing unsuitable adults from working with young people.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The registered manager has been in post since March 2007, and holds a level 4 national vocational qualification in leadership, health and social care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

Staff are supported through regular supervision and annual appraisal, and benefit from a range of training opportunities that enable them to develop their knowledge, skills and professional practice. All staff are either working towards the required level 3 diploma within regulatory timescales or already hold the qualification.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The statement of purpose demonstrates the aims and objectives of the home. This makes it possible for parents or placing authorities to have a clear understanding of the services available. The young person‟s guide is in a format that is appropriate for the young people who live in the home. It contains information relating to how they will be cared for when living at the home, and how they can make a complaint about their care.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

An independent visitor calls at the home once a month to monitor and report on the quality of care. The reports resulting from these visits lack scrutiny and evaluation, and do not make sure that there are fully effective systems in place for monitoring the quality of care provided for young people. This does not support the home‟s development or the managers internal monitoring.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has formed positive relationships with a range of agencies, including the police, the youth offending service and education departments. A social worker said, „Communication is positive.‟ This means that there is a coordinated approach to meeting young people‟s needs.

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The effectiveness of leaders and managers: good

The manager has taken action to address the requirements and recommendations from the last inspection. The manager makes sure that all complaints are now being recorded appropriately; young people‟s targets, as recorded in their health plans, are now being followed; and damage recorded at the time of the last inspection has been repaired.

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Information about this inspection

Inspectors have looked closely at the experiences and progress of children and young people. Inspectors considered the quality of work and the differences made to the lives of children and young people. They watched how professional staff work with children and young people and each other and discussed the effectiveness of help and care provided. Wherever possible, they talked to children and young people and their families. In addition, the inspectors have tried to understand what the children‟s home knows about how well it is performing, how well it is doing and what difference it is Inspection report children‟s home: SC068261 6 making for the children and young people whom it is trying to help, protect and look after.

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Information about this inspection

Using the „Social care common inspection framework‟, this inspection was carried out under the Care Standards Act 2000 to assess the effectiveness of the service, how it meets the core functions of the service as set out in legislation, and to consider how well it complies with the Children‟s Homes (England) Regulations 2015 and the „Guide to the children‟s homes regulations including the quality standards‟. Inspection report children‟s home: SC068261 7

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Children’s home details

Registered provider: Mangrove Care Limited

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Children’s home details

Registered provider address: c/o 11 Clayton Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire ST5 3AF

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Inspector

Dave Carrigan: social care inspector Inspection report children‟s home: SC068261 8 achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children‟s social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children‟s services, and inspects services for children looked after, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspector

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Inspector

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Inspector

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